Dynamic competition between Cooper pair and spin density wave condensation
Quantum matter phases may coexist microscopically even when they display competing tendencies. A fundamental question is whether such a competition can be avoided through the elimination of one phase while the other one condenses into the ground state. Here, we present a high-resolution neutron spec...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Physical Society
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023131 |
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| Summary: | Quantum matter phases may coexist microscopically even when they display competing tendencies. A fundamental question is whether such a competition can be avoided through the elimination of one phase while the other one condenses into the ground state. Here, we present a high-resolution neutron spectroscopy study of the low-energy spin excitations in the high-temperature superconductor La_{1.855}Sr_{0.145}CuO_{4}. In the normal state, we find low-energy magnetic fluctuations at incommensurate reciprocal lattice positions where spin-density-wave order emerges at lower Sr concentration or at high magnetic fields. While these spin excitations are largely suppressed by the emergence of the superconducting spin gap, some low-energy magnetic fluctuations persist deep inside the superconducting state. We interpret this result in terms of a dynamic competition between superconductivity and magnetism, where superconductivity impedes the condensation of low-energy magnetic fluctuations through the formation of magnetically mediated Cooper pairs. |
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| ISSN: | 2643-1564 |